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Looks like I'm gonna try and build a guitar...

07-29-2010, 12:59 PM

Nothing firm yet other than an OK from my friend to use his shop and some materials but I'm stoked. I'm looking to make either a cedar/mahogany OM or mini jumbo. He's got the molds for the OM but if I wanted to do the MJ I'd most likely go with the Official Luthier's Forum medium jumbo plans and then I'd have to do the molds and bracing overlays on my own.

He's in the middle of his first build (sycamore/adi 00 based off some old Epiphone plans) and his work is keeping him busy so for the next couple of weeks I'd be doing some reading and planning.

I just wanted to throw it out there. Wish me luck. It all comes down to whether I can get out to his place with any regularity. I'm not able to get out without my kids in tow and it's taking September forever to get here!

Good luck, Kwak! I've thought about trying my hand at guitar building on several occasions, but I don't think, realistically speaking, that I could do it.....I could probably build a house easier.

Three Dreads......2 Martins and 1 YamahaA fiddle, a mando, a uke, eight harmonicas, a Zoom H2, a Panasonic recorder, coupla penny whistles, an Italian made Titano accordion, three handguns, at least a dozen chess sets, more power tools than Bob Vila, and one old Westclox "Big Ben" wind-up alarm clock that still works! Oh, BTW, I forgot to mention my ocarina and maracas.

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I decided to call my local luthier to see if he'd be willing to offer a build class. Turns out he has one scheduled for August -- the first year he's ever offered one, and the price is very reasonable.

August happens to be the one month when I'll be out of town. Maybe next year.

Frog Rock Tenor Uke
Frog Rock 00-12
The thing with Chinese guitars is that when I play one, half an hour later I want to play it again... -- Knockwood
If you know who wrote it, it ain't folk music. -- DHone
Science is the belief in the ignorance of experts. -- Richard Feynman
De recta non tolerandum sunt. -- Monty Python

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I've just decided - again - to give this a shot myself. Been putting it off for years. And years.

I have a 12-fret hog/sitka 000 kit burning a hole in my closet... I'm going to change the top to hog (I have several hog tops on hand) and get started within the next month. I think I already have all the tools I need (thanks to IKFC II), but will figure that out stage by stage. I just need to do some reading-up myself.

I will be going through Rick's thread for reference many times, I'm sure.

Good luck, Neilio.

I guess I kinda lost control, because in the middle of the play I ran up and lit the evil puppet villain on fire. No, I didn't. Just kidding. I just said that to help illustrate one of the human emotions, which is freaking out. Another emotion is greed, as when you kill someone for money, or something like that. Another emotion is generosity, as when you pay someone double what he paid for his stupid puppet.I.K.F.C.E.S.C.Potato SocietySAWG

Congrats! I envy you. Sadly... I did woodworking for a lot of years and sold off my woodshop a couple of years ago. I did a lot of hand cut dovetails and detail work and realize that I probably could have transitioned into luthery at a hobby level quickly. Sad for me.

Good luck on your project!

Guitars? Too damn many, but not enough!

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^ Awesome, knock! It's about time though. Isn't that going to be a bit similar to your 000-18 custom though?

As for learning from a luthier, I won't be that lucky. Yamaha Junkie did it mostly on his own, though he frequently rubs elbows with folks at the ASIA symposium, Blues Creek Guitars and Tim & Mary McKnight. He's already blazed the trail. I think he just wants an apprentice or something!

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^ Awesome, knock! It's about time though. Isn't that going to be a bit similar to your 000-18 custom though?

As for learning from a luthier, I won't be that lucky. Yamaha Junkie did it mostly on his own, though he frequently rubs elbows with folks at the ASIA symposium, Blues Creek Guitars and Tim & Mary McKnight. He's already blazed the trail. I think he just wants an apprentice or something!

I made this same vow last summer... Gonna stick to it this time, though.

This thing will be quite different from my 18. The 18 is hog and sitka, 14 to the body, 1-11/16" nut, paddle head. The kit will be an all-hog, 1-3/4", 12-fret slot head.

Part of what brought this on is that I tripped over some info on the SCGC 1929 00 and 000 models. Holy crap. But I also realized that even if I had enough money for one of those things, which I do not, I still couldn't AFFORD it. On the other hand, if I build, I don't have to spend a dime on materials (except maybe for some hog binding, if I want to rip off SCGC a little more). The ONLY difference will be that compared with SCGC gits, mine will be an utter piece of ****************. But that is a minor detail...

Schools. Man, that is something I wish I could do. Some day, maybe. I could never afford Cumpiano's classes, which are probably awesome. There is Blues Creek in PA, though. Maybe sometime in the next few years. For now, I shall rely on teh interwebz.

Cedar/Hog is a pretty spiffy combo, Kwak. Cedar top is brave for a first build, yo. Are you leaning more toward the MJ? Seems like the OM might be easier to get moving, but are you wanting an MJ more for herd versatility?

I guess I kinda lost control, because in the middle of the play I ran up and lit the evil puppet villain on fire. No, I didn't. Just kidding. I just said that to help illustrate one of the human emotions, which is freaking out. Another emotion is greed, as when you kill someone for money, or something like that. Another emotion is generosity, as when you pay someone double what he paid for his stupid puppet.I.K.F.C.E.S.C.Potato SocietySAWG

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Good luck to both of you! I've thought of doing this for some time. I used to build furniture as a hobby. A large and semi-ornate armoire (took 4 months to finish) seems like child's play compared to a guitar. No way I have time these days.

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I made this same vow last summer... Gonna stick to it this time, though.

Yeah, vows are sometimes hard to keep - especially since life sometimes gets in the way. There are some vows I have to keep too or my wife'd kill me and truly make herself a guitar widow!

Originally Posted by knockwood

This thing will be quite different from my 18. The 18 is hog and sitka, 14 to the body, 1-11/16" nut, paddle head. The kit will be an all-hog, 1-3/4", 12-fret slot head.

Part of what brought this on is that I tripped over some info on the SCGC 1929 00 and 000 models. Holy crap. But I also realized that even if I had enough money for one of those things, which I do not, I still couldn't AFFORD it. On the other hand, if I build, I don't have to spend a dime on materials (except maybe for some hog binding, if I want to rip off SCGC a little more). The ONLY difference will be that compared with SCGC gits, mine will be an utter piece of ****************. But that is a minor detail...

I admit that there's something appealing about those "vintage" designs. I'm probably going to be slanting more toward the more modern stuff though. My inspiration is more like the Larriv

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Good luck, guys. Keep us posted. I was reading about Breedlove's Master Class yesterday in a newsletter from Ed Gerhard. Coming up in August, but it is $5000 (out of my league) and I can't take time off from work in August anyway. But for those of us without tools or skills, it is tempting, or at least fun to read about and imagine...

Extraordinary Experience

Share your passion for music as we share our spirit for creating fine instruments. Contemplate the perfect combination of tonewoods while you enjoy the treasures of central Oregon. Allow Oregon's natural wonders to inspire the creation of your acoustic masterpiece. The Extraordinary Experience is complete with a lifetime of lasting memories, friendships, and the ultimate souvenir.

The all-inclusive Breedlove Extraordinary Experience package is $5,000 and includes a $5,000 instrument allowance. All meals, lodging and entertainment are included. Breedlove luthiers are proud to divulge the design principles of our instruments during the experience. Participants choose the actual woods and other materials that are used on their guitar or mandolin.

Space is limited to 10 people for the August event.

Thursday August 18th, 2005

Guests arrive at Redmond Airport

Get acquainted and get settled

Drinks and Entertainment

The Breedlove All Stars

Friday, August 19th, 2005

Guitarist Massage and Finger Style Manicure

Interactive Breedlove custom shop tour

Central Oregon Sightseeing and

waterfall visit

Guitar Workshop with Mark Allen

Dinner and Drinks

Performance with Mark Allen, Radim Zenkl, and the Breedlove All Stars

Saturday, August 20th, 2005

High lakes Exotic Car Run/ White Water rafting the Deschutes River

Fly Fishing with some of the best anglers on the Planet

Workshops with Paul Richards and Bert Lams of the California Guitar Trio

Concert with Paul Richards and Bert Lams and Radim Zenkl

Group Dinner and music with team Breedlove

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LOL! Sounds tempting. I'll be doing my build under the tutored eye of a professional photographer who has this thing for butterflies and lives in the sticks. I'm told that the night life of Marion, OH is somewhat livelier so unless I head home early we could either end up cow tipping. I guess it all depends on how many beers we burn through a night.